Newport Beach, California, will close the waterway beneath the Newport Boulevard Bridge from 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, October 28, as another high tide threatens low-lying parts of the Balboa Peninsula and Newport Harbor.
The city's October 27 afternoon alert puts Wednesday's high tide at 10:28 a.m. The closure is intended to reduce flooding from boat wakes near waterfront properties. It applies to the waterway beneath the bridge; the notice does not announce a closure of the bridge road.
Wednesday's service changes
Parking enforcement remains suspended until 6 p.m. October 28 so residents can move vehicles to higher ground or city public parking lots. The city urges residents to keep sandbags and temporary flood barriers in place.
Free, prefilled sandbags remain available at the Corporation Yard, 592 Superior Ave., while supplies last. Crews are continuing to operate pumps and monitor vulnerable areas.
These instructions come from the alert posted at 3:26 p.m. Tuesday. An older notice on the same page lists an 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. waterway closure for October 27. Wednesday's announced window is 9 to 11 a.m.
The warning continues beyond Wednesday
The National Weather Service's 1:09 a.m. Wednesday warning covers coastal areas of Orange and San Diego counties through 1 p.m. Thursday, October 29. It warns of significant flooding during late-morning high tides, possible road closures, inundation of low-lying property and shoreline erosion.
Forecasters say observed high tides have been 1.4 to 1.6 feet above astronomical predictions. Those predictions alone therefore do not describe the water levels communities have been experiencing.
The weather service advises protecting flood-prone property and avoiding travel around barricades or through water of unknown depth. The city parking suspension's Wednesday evening end and the weather warning's Thursday afternoon end are separate deadlines.
ABC7 reported that Monday's flooding reached streets and businesses near the Balboa Fun Zone from the bay side of the peninsula. The station also documented flooding in Long Beach.
The city's emergency declaration activated its Emergency Operations Center and allowed it to seek additional response resources. The city says crews have reinforced beach berms, checked drainage infrastructure and prepared pumping systems, while warning that those measures cannot prevent every impact.
Residents are asked to stay off protective sand berms and keep clear of heavy machinery. The city also recommends moving vehicles away from flood-prone streets, checking private waterfront barriers and clearing debris from private drains and gutters.
For changing conditions and additional local instructions, use Newport Beach's flood-preparation page and the city's Newport Notified alerts.
